Great Beguinage

The Great Beguinage of Leuven is a well-preserved historical quarter containing a dozen streets in the south of downtown Leuven, Belgium. It is one of the largest remaining beguinages in the Low Countries, with about 3 hectares in size and 300 apartments in almost 100 houses. The beguinage dates from the 13th century and had a community of around 360 beguines in its heyday in the 17th century. Today, it is inhabited by students, foreign visiting professors, and staff of KU Leuven, the oldest Catholic university in Europe. The Great Beguinage was listed as UNESCO world heritage in 1998 and consists of a series of alleys, courtyards, gardens, and parks with dozens of houses and convents built from traditional sandstone